Hi Guys - just want to say thank you all for your reviews. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.. Also want to say a big thank you to BirdOfCreation for being my artist and keeping me motivated to continue.. XXXX
Dante felt his back met air as brick rained down around him. It was the whipping of cold air against his coat that drew it more to his attention than the lack of resistance. His footing skidded across ground that was more gravel than stone slab. His boots left long groves in their wakes, dirt and dust piling up in small borders along their widths as his heels dug into the ground. The force of the metallic, spiked ball was beginning to ease against the tension in his arms, but as it dropped to the ground in a wide arc, it was replaced by the huge, hulking shoulder of an iron-clad demon.
Rebellion clanged like the bells of Notre Dame against the beast's metal plating. Sparks bounced against the blade with the impact, flaring upwards in a hazy show of light. It highlighted the rusted armour of the demon sending the shadows from its face and giving him the first glimpse of its black-stained, toothy snarl. The demon lowered its helmet-covered head and with one rough shove of its shoulder sent Dane flying through the air.
His feet left the ground, knocked out from under him with the action. The twisting rivulets of air cascading past his coat sent the red leather sweeping upwards as he descended. His shoulders tilted downwards first, the weight of Rebellion sending them in a steep decline as his arm swung upwards. Arching his head backwards Dante used the curve of it to pull him further then kicking his legs upwards he found his body in alignment as the ground soared up to him. Thrusting his hand out he caught his fall with the palm of his hand only to bend his elbow and launch himself back into the air to land on his feet.
He was standing before the tails of his coat could begin their descent and as they swished upwards Dante lifted his free hand and swiped them down with one stroke of his arm. The current created by that one movement caused a semi-circle of dust to bellow up past his knees, surrounding him in his own swirling storm.
The demon slid to a stop, its frame rattling in a series of jangling clinks as the large chains around its body knocked together with its bunching muscles. It sneered at him as it rolled its arm around the length of the chain connected to the spiked ball, drawing it towards him with each rotation. It minced against the gravel, dredging up broken earth and stone as the large, metal protrusions speared and raked the ground.
The demon laughed, spittle pushed out past its lips with each raspy chuckle.
'Have you come for her, half-breed?' he cackled before lapping at the saliva that dripped down his chin, 'have you come to save your pathetic, little human?'
Dante smirked, his eyes narrowed slightly as he straightened and raised the tip of Rebellion in direct line of the demon's face, 'who are you to call anyone pathetic?' he smirked as he raised his head and looked down his nose towards the beast, 'you're nothing but a big, stinking pile of scrap metal'
Castion growled, the rumbling noise vibrated through the air. Dante snorted shifting Rebellion in his hand until the thick blade rested against his shoulder, 'oh I'm sorry,' bending slightly forward he gave the demon a cocky smile, 'did I hurt your feelings?' Tilting his body away he placed his hand over his hip, 'let me make it up too you then,' His hand moved so fast it was as if the handle of Ebony had been in his fist the entire time. He spun his body back around, throwing his arm out as he did so and fired.
Castion's head whipped back with a ringing clank of metal and as he brought his head back up with a ferocious roar the blunt bullet dropped from the dent embedded in his helmet.
Dante brought the smoking nozzle of Ebony up to his face, only to purse his lips and cock an eyebrow at the faint smoke wisping out of its muzzle. Turning his face back to the demon, Dante sighed and with a flourish twist of the gun in his hand he tucked it back into its holster.
The sound of whistling drew his attention to his left. The large, metallic ball that had sent him flying through the wall came soaring towards him in a wide arch. Flicking his eyes towards the large, metallic beast as it braced its body, both hands clutching the chunky links attached to it as it forced the weapon around, Dante snorted He took a step back, just as the ball reached him, then extending a hand causally outward he snagged the nearest spike and allowed the swinging force to take him off his feet.
Trish's heels knocked off the stone floor as she ran. The fanning of her hair trailing behind her in wave of golden threads as her speed drove her forward. Her arms pumped at her sides, each movement made in an attempt to move faster. The rows of cells rushed past her in a series of blurred rust and stone. As she reached the end of the corridor she twisted, stuck her foot against the facing wall and angled to her left. The speed of her actions caused her to run against the wall itself, until the pull of gravity dragged at her. She didn't slow as her footing met the ground once more and as she glimpsed the massive hole in front of her she gritted her teeth and pushed herself faster still.
Castion heaved the ball around until it thudded behind him with an impending bang. It rocked on the spikes that held it from the ground only a second before its own weight caused them to spear and sink into the dirt. He heaved a massive breath, his eyes trailing across the large room to where the devil-hunter had been. There was nothing but dust and empty space. The growl that left his mouth shook the helmet covering his face so that the slots of its eyepiece rattled and vibrated across his line of vision.
He couldn't turn his head without turning his massive shoulders, the thickness of his metal plates as they joined together from his helmet to the iron rivets that lined his spine, fused his body together. He turned one way only to move and turn to the other. The chains around him tightened with agitation.
'Show yourself!' He bent forward and roared into the depths of the room, centring his anger on the space where Dante once stood, only to hiss as he felt a hard tapping on the top of his helmet.
He turned only to snarl as his eyes drew to the toe of a black, scuffed boot perched on the tip of one of the large spikes. His eyes trailed upwards only to narrow as the half-breed lifted his sword and knocked it off the top of his helmet for the second time. The cocky smile that was thrown at him caused a wave of rage to storm his body.
Dante leaned his elbow on the knee of the leg that rested upon the spike. He moved forward to rap the demon with Rebellion once more, only to hop back and swing the blade away from the creature's grasp as it batted its massive arm towards him. He landed on two spikes, the soles of his boots rocking slightly as he balanced only for him to crouch down and point the tip of Rebellion at the beast's face. He jerked it forward twisting the blade sideways so that its width faced upwards. It pinged off the slots of the demon's helmet. Dante pulled it away slowly, showing the creature his wide smile.
'I could do this all day,' he stated, 'but I have places to be and a hot babe waiting for me'
Castion roared up at him, spraying spittle outwards in a wide semi-circle of saliva. Then more swiftly than his massive bulk would lead to believe, he pinned his large hands underneath the immense sphere of metal and ripped it from the ground. He arched it upwards into the air sending a tirade of dirt cascading around him. Ignoring the flecks of grit that slipped through the slots of his helmet and into the swirling, black pools of his eyes he linked his wrist around the chunky chain and with one rough tug, brought the ball crashing back to earth. It bounced once, twice before rolling on the tips of the metal spines. He stepped forward as the skin of his palm split and a thick, iron chain tumbled through the gap. It clanked to the floor and coiled around itself like a sleeping cobra before he closed his fist and pulled. The metal links whooshed through the air and as Castion snapped his hand forward it cut through the air and whipped against the metal ball.
'Come and fight me!' he bellowed as his eyes snapped to the now solitary weapon.
A soft whistle reached his ears, the very sound causing the blood to rush through his veins with hatred. He used the bulk of his body to spin himself fiercely on the spot only to lurch backwards as a blade slipped through the gap of his eyepiece. It slid through his flesh, splitting the black orb of his eye down the centre until the sharpness of its head speared into the softness of his brain.
Dante pulled the blade out, only to raise his foot and connect it to the wide chest of the demon. It didn't even scream as it stumbled backwards, only the slow hissing of air escaping its mouth was evident within the silence of the room. Its back connected with its large, metal sphere; the rusted spikes erupted through its torso, spilling blood to the floor in large sprays of crimson rain.
Dante shook Rebellion free of blood, before slipping it back onto its resting place against his back. He stood of only a second to watch the beast gurgle.
'Like I said,' he sneered, 'I've places to be' then without a second glance he dashed towards the opening of the wall.
'Dante!' Trish gripped the side of the hole in one of her hands as she angled her body through the space, only to stumble backwards as his body pushed her out of the way.
'Jess!' his voice echoed around the silence of the cavernous room and as his eyes drew up the length of the empty hallway he turned his body back and slammed his fist against the wall, 'fuck' he snarled darkly only to turn his eyes back to Trish, 'did you see her?' he muttered.
'I'm sorry' Trish muttered her voice dropping low as she reached out and touched his shoulder with the tips of her fingers.
Dante huffed out a long breath as he rested his forehead against the cold stone, only to push himself back up and gently move her hand away.
'I only just found her,' he growled, his head turning slowly back down the hallway then as his body twisted to follow his gaze he fisted his hands tightly by is sides, 'and there is no goddamn way I'm letting these, sons-of-bitches, take her from me now'
The ground rumbled below his feet as cracks etched web-like towards him. Stone and dust fell from the ceiling and clouded the air. The walls shook dangerously, the stone slabs breaking in several places as the ground along the centre of the room split and caved inward. The sound of metal grinding filled the room as sparks flew from the depths of the hole.
Castion's head lifted slowly. His remaining eye opened to see the flare of his soldier's wrath sparking the air with their fury. His slid his palms backwards until the hard feel of metal touched his palms then with one shove against the weapon he pushed himself forward. There was a suction-like sound as the thick spikes slipped from his body only to slid free and send him stumbling to one knee right at the end of the crater.
His eye roamed across the fiery sea of metallic soldiers. Saws, large, morphed drills and rotating blades heated the air around him as they turned their gazes upon him. Each one matched their general's attire, coated in thick, winding lengths of chain. Their hands were replaced with their fierce looking weapons and as they raised their arms in salute to their commander, Castion rose to his feet.
'He must not reach our master' Castion sneered only to turn his head and spit out the dark, black blood that had congealed inside his mouth. Turning his head back to the vast army below the earth of his realm he grinned wickedly, 'kill the bastard'